ARE WE OKAY?
by JadedFringe
Summary: An alternate ending for the "Good-bye" handshake scene in "The Captain's Hand."


An alternate ending for the good-bye scene in "The Captain's Hand."

_Too much weird tension here. I'll just shake his hand. That will be safe._

"Are we okay?"

Kara surprised herself as her voice shook and the question ended in a whisper.

Still holding her hand, Lee forgot to let it go when he caught her tone. He then forgot to avoid her eyes and instead cast a searching gaze into their hazel depths. He pulled her closer to see better.

"As what?"

Kara blinked back through his gaze as she let him pull her closer. Her instincts kicked in and she felt the panic start to rise in her chest. _Full retreat, Thrace. Pull out now._ But suddenly, her whole focus was on not pulling his hand up to her cheek. On not dropping her eyes down to his lips. Those lips were too close. Too soft. Then, his question finally registered and she shook her head to clear it, tearing her eyes away, "Come again?"

Lee's eyes dropped down to where their hands were joined. _Perfect together. Touching her at last. _ Almost in a trance, he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "Are we okay _as what_?"

His stroke made Kara also looking down to stare fascinated at their joined hands. _I've frakked guys and it wasn't this hot. _ Their foreheads nearly touching made the heat between them intoxicating. Lee brought his other hand up to sandwich Kara's in his.

"Do you mean are we okay _as friends_, Kara? Because I've never had a lot of friends, but it's never been quite like–-"

The warm pressure of Lee's hands on hers was suddenly too much for Kara. She finally pulled away and turned back into her locker.

"Helo. Helo is my friend."

Lee had caught the scent of Kara's hair when she spun around. _Like sandlewood. But musky. Where did she get that scent?_ He reflexively inched closer to draw in another breath. "He's a good friend."

Kara's back was to Lee. She found herself staring at his face on that photo in her locker. She was in Zak's arms there, but it was always Lee's eyes which drew her in the image. _Damn._ "The best."

It was Lee's turn for the question to come out in a whisper. "And does he make you feel like this?"

Kara stayed very still. She was trying to focus on the question, but Lee's warm breath on her neck made it impossible_. _She squeezed her eyes shut._ Just lean down a little closer. Run those lips right there._

"Kara?"

A quality of need in his voice pulled Kara back. She raised her eyes to look back at him. She shook her head slowly. Tears glistened at the corner of her eyes. "But Helo and I don't hurt each other."

Lee pulled Kara into his arms. "And you and I are always hurting each other." _But this doesn't hurt at all. The way she's molded herself into my arms. Soft. Yielding. No sharp edges._

Exhausted, Kara laid her forehead on his shoulder. The rhythmic beating of his pulse was an inch from her mouth. "I want to kill you some times."

Lee chuckled softly into her hair. "So, we aren't okay at being friends. Maybe we should try something else." He brushed his lips across her forehead. One of his hands slid down her shoulders to press firm circles low on her back. The other had her hand again and was pressing it against his heart.

Kara felt a warm churning down deep. A smile twitched at her lips. "You mean like brother and sister?"

This time Lee's mouth started on her eyes and slipped softly down her nose. "Uh, no," he lightly ran his lips across her cheek. The softness shot right through him and his groin tightened. _Gods, what am I doing? Think Pegasus. Your first command. No time for this. _ Lee straightened up instinctively.

Kara's lips reached up towards his but his face was just out of reach. Her hands went around his neck to pull him down to her. "Ummm. What else is there?"

Lee couldn't play the game anymore. He bent her body back and pressed his mouth on hers. Her lips parted with a gasp and met his hungrily. Long-suppressed desires crested like a wave. Both their minds went blank as their bodies took over pulling each other closer, merging breaths and heartbeats.

They parted finally because the feelings were too intense. Kara's mind was racing. _Oh gods. Where are we? Do it again. Can't. Need to think. _She pushed back from him panting and shook her head to clear it. Lee let her go, his hand on the locker to steady himself.

Kara found her voice first. "So, I guess we're okay then."

Lee cleared his throat, but his answer still came out in a rasp, "Yeah. Definitely okay."

Kara backed towards the door, nodding more to herself than Lee. "Right. That's good. Been wanting to get that straight." She spun around and opened the hatch. "Later then."

Lee sank down on the bench in front of the locker. He heard the door open and close.

"Oh, poor Dee."


End file.
